Hildebrandt figures in the final phase of the Nibelungenlied. His motivations are complex. He slays Krimheld as an act of honor and vengeance. Some historians believe his character was based on Theodoric the Great, who had a long and dynamic career in the period 470-526. In the Nibelungenlied he is associated with Etzil, who some believe was another name for Attila the Hun. Modern Germans view Theodoric as a hero.

Portrait by artist-historian George Stuart. Courtesy George S. Stuart.